Cable lift bulldozer



May 14, 1940- T. P. FLYNN Er AL CABLE LIFT BULLDOZER .Filed sept. 8.V 195'? 6 Sheets-Sheet l 0 O 9 .m m M 8 M 0 o no o 4 o o, o oo@ U O o 5 00@ U /G ooo o H o o 6 6 May 14, 1940. T. P...- FLYNNYEr A1.

CABLE LIFT BULLDQZBR v Filed sept. 8, 19:5? e sheets-sheet 2 IN V EN TOR` mn W. N M Pf. m www@ .mm 4TR -May14.194u. 1P. FLYNNHAL 2,200,447

CABLE` LIFT BULLDOZER A vFiled'sept. 8. 1937 s sheets-sheet 3 May 14, 1940 j T. P. FLYNN Er A1. y '2,200,447

I cABLE LIFT guLLDozs A Filedsept. 8. 1957 e sheets-sheet 4 T. P. FLYNN El' AL CABLE LIFT BULLDOZER Filed sept. 8, 1937 s Sheets-sheet e /T/Gf INVENTORS fl Y/Y/Y.

TH'ODORf' P RHYMOND I Nf/LS.

Y BY

ATTORNEY sTA'les ol-Flcs I 2,200,441 v CABLE LIFT ntlumoznn Theodore l?. Flynn and Raymond E. Neils. Portland, Oreg., dedicated to the free use of the Public in the territory of the United States 'of America Application September V8, 1937, Serial No. 162,877

6 Claims. (Cl. 37-144) (Granted under the act of March v3, 1883, as

, amended April 30, 1928; 370 0. G. '157) Government for governmental purposes without serve as a power takeoff for the clutching, speedpayment to us of any royalty thereon.- reducing device. It would be very impractlcable We hereby dedicate the invention herein de-/nd neel'ly ilnpOSSible t0 SuCCeSSfillly Obtain anscribed to the free use of the Public in the terriother POWel takeoif Point fol bulldozer lifting llSe tory of the United states of America, to take other than the conventional one-that is occupied 10 elect upon the granting of a patent to us, by the hoisting or drum units already on the traclo This invention relates to a grading device attor. Therefore the auxiliary clutching speed retached to aconventional tractor and has for anA dlloiiig DoWei' transmitting deViCe deSClibedlWilen important object an arrangement of geared power atteiolleil t0 the'extended Shafting 0f the drum mechanism to elevate, lower, hold, and oat a ends. i'eoeivrolisfpower fl'OltheSe dl'llln enClS| ls bulldozer blade and to otherwise improyhd simand this planetary clutching denceis then in c le plify arrangements now in use for this purpose. @,Ilositiol'l end'So erranged eS t0 'deliver and trans- Anothar object 0f this invention is to providewmitipower separately and independently, without an arrangement of bulldozer lifting and loweringJ interfering. With. the drums oi' hoisting unit. t0 mechanism that can be readily adapted and atbulldozer lifting or other apparatus requiring lifttached to any conventional tractor that is already ing DOWel by Winding metion. 'V 80 equipped with a single or double drum hoist unit. A still further object of this invention is .to still another object of this invention is to apply provide by means of cable wheels. winding or and use a special planetary clutching and speed spooling, a wire rope, or other flexible connection, reducing device to the ends of the shafting of any 8 Simplified pOWel lifting arrangement fOI' raising hoists or drums that are already on the tractor, a bulldozer blo-de oi' other oPDaTatllS- :v 25

and this clutching and speed reducing device at- The liftinacableand cable supporting arrangetached to said drums in such a manner as not to ment ill this invention divide tile total blllldezel interfere with .the full useorthe hoisting drums blade lifting stresses eoually and squarely loyer for regular hoisting work, dnd 0n the tWO tractor traclg, 'and this is espe- A further object isto provide, through certain-.omlllio'yoi'able 'totlm design and, to Athe 30 gear reductions, leverages, andother powertrans-v Operation of the tractor. Ymitting connections, a combination and relation- Another footlli'eof this caille lifting arrangeship of power transmitting mechanism/that will ment vis that the-total amount of cable required require and take away the least possibleY amount; foi' both Sides is one'tlliid ol' leso than tile ,total ,of power from the tractor motor. The combinaamount required for any 'other oable'llft'liiill- 35 tion of these mechanims as they are arranged dozei' aiiaii'einel'itfiiol inzlise and the method in this device-has a distinct advantage in this .of slmlincefand threldins the cable with this respect, in that the lifting of the bulldozer blade, invention over only one .large sheave provides fur-4 which requires the greatest amount of power of ther eeOliOmly in that Cable Weel' and lreplaeeall the movements of a bulldozer blade, is accommentare reduced to a minimum. and the life of "4o plished with a combination lifting mechanism the lifting eebl'ei increased twenty times 'i'.more

when the tractor motor is turning over at its low over the life of a cable used on any other arranges. est possible idling speed. Conventional hydrauliment where two or more sheaves are. employed. cally operated bulldozers now in general use re- A'Still further Object lStODlOVide e'iigid holding quire that the tractor motor be operatedV at a arrangement, working automatically andiamo-'45 speed considerably greater-than its lowest idling junction with the cable lifting apparatus; soy that speed before enough hydraulic pressure can be the bulldozerblade may beheld iii'lnly and rigidlyV developed to raise the bulldozer blade ln any reain any grading p08iti0n- This rigid viiilifliitiiiii? sonable length of time. Jef' holding device and arrangement prevents the A still further object is the provision of a simple bulldozer blade from floating, which. riloating v50 geared, clutching, speed-reducing, and auxiliary Causes uneven gl'eding 01' e WeW DlOle 0f the' power transmitting unit, which is attached to and road surface. This holding arrangement-is autoreceives lts power from the ends of the drum or nlatically in position at all times to prevent such'l the holst shaitingl already on the tractor, ellmfloating when the bulldozer blade is workingfi'rifA vi545 5t and the invention herein described. if patented,

may be manufactured and used by or for the inating the necessity for any'additional or special .receive their power from the only convenient power takeoff point on conventional tractors. and

hard materials, putting an even finished` vsurface A still further object is to provide a one-lever` control for the operator, which lever through an arrangement of automatically operated linkage, engages lifting power, disengages the holding arrangements, releases the lifting and holding mechanism for floating, and puts the holding mechanism into operation. All of these positions are obtained by only two movements, one forward and one rearward, of a single operatingl lever.

A still further object is to provide a complete arrangement of bulldozer lifting `apparatus so that its total weight is distributed over the total length of the tractor tracks, so there will be no unbalancing of the tractor, and to place bulldozer lifting stresses at such points on the tractor that will not disturb its balance and at points that are designed and best able to take care of these stresses so that damage to the tractor will be reduced to a minimum with the added superimposed -weights and lifting stresses.

Another and further object is to provide a simple and positive bulldozer lifting and bladeA ypurposeful tractor unit which can perform log- Aging or other operations requiring heavy duty hoisting drums, or perform road grading, clearing. and other operations performed by bulldozer machines, all mounted in one combined tractor lunit.

yThe following specification, together with vthe accompanying drawings, will fully disclose this invention, and further objects and advantages thereof will be apparent.

3 In the drawings:

Figure l is a side view of the power delivery unit.

Figure 2 is a plan section taken along line F--F of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the said power de- "of connection to a bulldozer blade.

Figure 6 is a side view of the bulldozer blade holding device connected to the power delivery unit, showing the method of connection to the bulldozer blade and application to the tractor. Y

Figure '7 is a plan view of the holding and blade tilting unit.

Figure 8 is an end view of one-half of the blade tilting coupling.

Figure 9 is a plan view of the blade tilting coupling, showing the two half portions separated.

Figure 10 is a side view of the holding brake wheel and operating mechanism, with supporting members removed. 4

Figure 1l is a sectional side view of the cable slack takeup device.

Figure 12 is a perspective view of the rackholding and down-pressure arm.

Referring with more particularity to the drawings, in which like numbers referto like parts, numeral I designates the drum driving shaft, actuated by extended shafts of the hoisting drum of the tractor, having its outer end mounted in the bearing 5 on the frame 8, supported by the bracket 6A. Mounted on said shaft is a driving sprocket 4 and a planetary gear arrangement 2 and 3. Both of the discs of the members 2 and 3 are made with flanged rims which serve as brake drums for clutching and braking. The interior of member 2 carries an internal gear of the planetary system, and the shafts of the planet pinions are secured in the web of the disc of member 3, which also has secured to it by means ofv bolts passing through bossed bearings the driving sprocket 4. The disc of the member -2 serves asa clutch, and the disc of member 3 serves as a brake.

'I'he clutch band 6B and brake band IC of the members 2 and 3, respectively, are connected by arms IA and 8A and pull rods 'I and l to a single [control lever 9 positioned near the operator's seat 9B and fulcrumed at the bracket IA. The sun pinion I 0 is keyed to the shaft I, and the hub of said sun pinion i0 is a bearing for the disc of member 2. The disc of` member 2, however,

vrotates freely on shaft I.

The shaft is supported by three bearings, namely, i4, mounted on frame i, and IIA and I4B, mounted on frame i5. V'll'he said shaft I2 is positioned substantially parallel to shaft I and as near to it as clearance vwill permit. The

driven sprocket ii and the cable wheels I3, I3 are keyed to shaft. I2. These cable wheels are, with cables i8, Il," positioned for alignment with sheaves 48 on the lifting arms or stirrups 4l. Said stirrups are xed to rocker arms or bell cranks 49A,which bell cranks are pivoted to the frame of the tractor at 49B and connected to the push arms 50 by means of links 50A (Figure 6). 'I'he driving chain I6 engages the driving sprocket 4 with the driven sprocket II. Set screws II, II are provided in cooperative relation with the bearings I4, I4A and I4B, to permit adjustment of the said driving chain Il.

'Ihe shaft 24 is supported by bearings 2 5, 25, and has keyed to it the pinion gear 23. Similarly, the shaft 24A is supported by bearings 25A, 25A on the frame 26A, and has keyed to it the pinion gear 23A. Said pinion gears mesh with racks 22,'22. A holding drum brake wheel 2i is also keyed to said shaft 24. 'I'he brake band or shoe 2'I is perpherally disposed on said wheel 2i and is actuated contractionally and expansionally with operating lever 9 by means of arms 30, lever 3l, connecting link 32., and lever 33. Adjustable connections 34 and 35 are fastened to the operating lever 9. The brake band 21 is normally in the position of holding the brake drum 2i and is released only when raising or lowering the bulldozer blade. By these means, the bulldozer blade is firmly held in any position of its travel limits. The spring 36 is provided to insure immediate and automatic braking of the wheel 2i,

when the lever `9 returns to its neutral position. 75

The above-mentioned arms 30 are fulcrumed at the bracket 31, which braket is in turn bolted to the tractor. The said frame 26is also bolted to v:the reinforced brackets of the tractor.

The links 22A, 22A connect the racks 22, 22 with the bell .cranks 49A ,attached to the bulldozer blade holding pusharms 50, which pusharms are hinged at 5I to the frame of the bulldozer. The said racks 22, 22 each have a lower vertical member 31A serving as a guide for said racks by passing through the circumferential groove of wheel 28, all to the end that the with their respective pinions 23 and 23A.

Mounted with a sliding key fit on shaft 24 is a half -section 29 of a special jaw clutch. The other half-section of the jaw clutch, designated by the number 29A, is mounted on shaft 24A. also with a sliding key fit. Thus the shafts 24 and 2BA can be rotated independently of each other by disengaging the two jaw clutch halves. By these means, each end of the bulldozer blade can be elevated or lowered independently of each other.

The springs 38, 38 are tensionally mounted between the guides 40, 40, having one of their ends anchored to the members 39, 39, and theother ends secured to the guide pull rods, 4I, 4I. These pull rods serve as terminal fastenings for cables I8, I8. By these means any slack is automatically taken up in the cables I8, I8. Whena pull is made with the cables I8, I3, springs 33, 38 stretch until guides $6, 36` come to rest against stops 31, 37. This combination also insures quicker action for the bulldozer blade and helps to obtain a more vuniform spooling of said cables I8, I8.

The operation of this invention is as follows:

With control lever 9 moved to engagingsposition,

which is toward the rear of the tractor if shaft I is turning counterclockwise, and in the opposite direction if shaft I is turning clockwise, the brake band or shoe of the clutch disc of member 2 tightens, stopping the rotary motion of this disc. Immediately the internal gear of this disc becomes the track for the planet pinions, causing them to move around it, giving a rotary motion,

in the same direction as shaftml, to the disc of' member 3 and sprocket l. By means of the driving chain I6 motion is transmitted to sprocket 0 il, causing cable wheels I3, I3 to wind up the cables I8, I8, each of which cables passes over an idler sheave, such as the idler sheave 48. The other ends of the cables I 8, I8 are anchored to the pull rods, 4I, 4I. The spooling of these cables shortens the distance between the wheels I3, I3, and the idler sheaves, thereby raising the bulldozer blade.

When the lever 9 is returned to its neutral position or mid-position on its guide quadrant I9. which is notched toreceive a pressure pin 20 Y i mounted on said lever 9,. the brake band tension or brake shoe pressure on the flanged disc of member 2 is released, and the said disc is free tov rotate, thus giving the least resistance to the force of the sun pinion I0. which forces must be dissipated through some medium, since shaft I is rotating'constantly during either the bulldozing orv drum hoising operation. When the disc of member 2 is free to rotate, there is no movement of the disc of member 3, as it has the resistance of the driving sprocket and connected parts. Therefore, the planet gears rotate around their own shafts, which in turn rotates the internal gear of the member 2. By moving the control lever 9 in a direction opposite to that of engagement for power delivery, the brake band or shoe of the member 3 is brought into action and serves as a brake to retard the motion set-.up by the power unit. However, the method of braking with the member 3 is dispensed with for such an application of bulldozer use, and the stoppingof the rotationl of the disc of member 3 is controlled with the holding brake 2I. The disc-of member 3 would then serve only as a means of rotating the sprocket 8.

When the control lever 9 is moved to engaging position in either direction, the adjustable connection 34, if movementis away from the driver,

and the adjustable connection 35, if movement isv toward the driver, overcomes the tension of spring 36 'and moves lever 33 toward brake wheel 2|, which movement transmitted through the link 32,

lever 3|, and arms 39, releases band tension on brake wheel 2I, permitting free movement of shafts 2d .and 23A with their attached partsI in any direction, the extent of which is determined by the racks 22, 22. When the lever 9 is returned,

to neutral position, the spring 36 reverses the motions of arms 30, lever 3i, link 32, and lever 33, Y

causing brake band 21 to again stop'and hold brake wheel 2l. The connections 33 and 35 have slotted openings 33a and 35a, respectively for attachment to'lever 33, taking care of the movement of lever33 in the opposite direction to which either connection 3d or 35 is to operate. kThe rack 22 is suitably fastened to` a pushing member; When the movements of racks 22, 22 stop, they are held in such position by the pinions 23 and 23A, thus permitting then-retention of 'anr blade position. The last tooth 22B on each of racks 22, 22 is enlarged so as not to mesh with the teeth of the rack pinions 23 and 23A, thus serving as a stop to the travel of said racks and insuring the fact that they will not become disengaged 'from their respective pinions and guide wheels.

To tilt either end of the bulldozer blade for ditching or crowning operation. it is necessary to remove the pin M from couplings 29 and 29A, separate the two-halves with a pinch bar and insert an end of the pinch bar in one `of the holes 45. Then the blade power unit is operated, thusl rotating the member. 29 to another engaging position with the member 29A. depending on the amount of end tilt desired on the bulldozer blade:

comprising blade holding members pivotally secured'to said bulldozer, cables connectedto said `holding members, means for actuating said cables so as tol adjust 'said'liolding members about their pivoted connection, racks connected to said holding members, said racks being coactable with said holding. members, pinions engaging said racks, a shaft fixed to said pinions, and braking means on said shaft.

2. In a bulldozer, a blade operating mechanism comprising blade holding members pivotally secured to said bulldozer, cables connected to said holding members, means for actuating said cables so as to adjust said holding members about their pivoted connection, racks connected to said holding members and coactable therewith, pinions engaging said racks, a shaft fixed to each of said pinions, braking means for one of said shafts, and means for couplingsaid shafts.

3. In a bulldozer, a blade operating mechanism comprising a pair oi'blade holding members pivotally secured to said bulldozer, a cable connected to each of said holding members, means for actuating ysaid cables so as to adjust said holding members about their pivoted connections, a rack connected to each of said holding members, each rack being coactable with its corresponding holding member. a pinion engaging eah of said racks, a shaft fixed to each of said pinions, means for braking one of said shafts, and means for coupling said shafts.

4. In a bulldozer, a blade operating mechanism comprising a pair of blade holding members pivotally` secured to said bulldozer, a cable connected to each of said holding members, means for actuating said cables so as to adjust said holding members about their pivoted connections, yieldable means associated with each of said cables, means for limiting the action of said blade holding members disposed at opposite sidesoi the tractor, the rear ends of said holding members being pivoted to the tractor, bell cranks pivotally mounted on the tractor and having operative connection with the holding members for raising and lowering said members, a cable sheave secured to each of said bell cranks, cable winding drums, a source of power, transmission means for selectively delivering power from said source to said cable drums, a cable associated with each of said sheaves having one end anchored to the tractor and the other end associated with one of said drums, a rack hinged to each of said bell cranks, a pinion gear engaging 'each of said racks, a shaft ilxed to each oi said pinion gears, means for coupling said shafts, and braking means for one of said shafts.

6. In a bulldozer, the combination with a tractor of a blade operating mechanism comprising blade holding members disposed at opposite sides of the tractor, the rear ends of said holding members being pivoted to the tractor, bell cranks pivotally mounted on the tractor and having operative connection with the holding members for raising and lowering said members, a cable sheave secured to each of said bell cranks, cable winding drums. a sourceof power, transmission means for selectively delivering power from said source to said cable drums, a cable associated with each of said sheaves having one end anchored to the tractor and the other end associated. with one of said drums, a rack hinged to each of said bell cranks, a pinion gear engaging each of said racks, a shaft ilxed to each of said pinion gears, means for coupling said shafts, braking means for one of said shafts, and means for automatically releasing said braking means when power is transmitted from said source to said drums.

THEODORE P. FLYNN.

RAYMOND E. NEILS. 

